County commissioner at-large race promises distinct differences

Occupation: Retired from the city of Greeley’s transportation department, army and air national guard

Education: Bachelor’s from Chadron State College, Nebraska

Sean Conway

Party: Republican

Age: 57

Location: Greeley

Occupation: Weld County Commissioner

Education: Bachelor’s from Fort Lewis College, Durango

No matter which candidate wins, Weld County's open at-large seat on the Board of Weld County Commissioners will hold a maverick.

Democrat Joe Perez is running against incumbent Republican Sean Conway for the seat, which Conway has held for the past eight years. Although the two may differ from each other politically, they believe they also branch away from other board members. Each one wants to bring "a different perspective" to the board.

Many of the issues commissioners handle are nonpartisan in nature, Perez said. Regardless, getting a Democrat on the board would lead to more balanced decisions and give a voice to the county's political minority, he said. He acknowledged it will be tough in such a red county.

"I think that's been the discouraging factor for the past 40 years," he said. "It's pretty homogenous (on the board)."

The board's consistent party roster has led many Democrats to believe they aren't included in the process, he said. This is especially evident in energy talks; commissioners have touted the county's oil and gas production and have proved leery of solar development. The perceived exclusion can be discouraging for those wanting to get involved.

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Although Conway is a Republican, he's not too shy to vote against the other members of the board or verbally criticize them during meetings.

"In those cases where it might be a 3-2 vote, we at least listen and learn through the process," Conway said.

Perez does have some policy disagreements with the commissioners, including his opponent. For example, Conway was one of the ringleaders during the 51st state initiative, during which Weld and a few others attempted to secede from Colorado. The issue went on the ballot in the 2013 election, and it failed.

Perez said he would have fought against it.

"I think a balanced discussion might have saved the taxpayers a lot of money," he said.

When the commissioners began working on solar regulations last year, the first draft booted solar projects from ag land, which is cheaper to rent and covers more than 75 percent of the county. Oil and gas companies not only get to build on ag land, they get to go through an easier permitting process than many other industrial companies.

The proposed rules did change during the commissioners' months of talks after residents and industry experts turned out to criticize the strict first draft.

"The public had to come and push back before there was some discussion," Perez said.

That wouldn't have been the case had he been on the board, he said.

Conway, who has been on the board since 2008, isn't clinging to his seat to bring on change. He said he wants to ensure the various projects Weld has started during his tenure continue to flourish.

Since his election, the board has taken on the county's largest infrastructure project in its history, created a scholarship program that was the first of its kind in the state and served as a leader in regionally collaborative highway projects.

County officials used excess oil and gas money to fast track the Weld County Road 49 project, which aims to build, essentially, a new highway between U.S. 34 in Kersey and Interstate 76 outside Hudson. A project that should have taken 10 years is taking two. It should be complete at the end of 2017, and Conway wants to see it through.

Conway was one of the commissioners who pushed hardest for the Bright Futures program, which supplies Weld's high school graduates, veterans and GED-earners $3,000 annually to go to school.

To get the program off the ground, commissioners had to get legislation passed through the state legislature to allow officials to create the fund that pays for the scholarships. In this case, Weld has a fund it uses to incentivize donors with a property tax break. Then officials had to push for fundraising to pay for the project. More than 1,000 Weld students used it this year. To keep up with demand, leaders will have to find a way to get new donors and to keep old ones on board.

"I want to make sure this program, which we started, has sustainability," Conway said. "I think it's going to be really important over the next four years."

Conway has been involved with various groups that have pushed for regional transportation projects, including the North I-25 coalition, which pooled funding for improvements on the highway.

"These things just don't happen by accident," he said.

He said county officials are at a critical stage on all of these projects, and he doesn't want to leave his seat until each one wraps up.

When the time comes, Conway said he will be excited to pass on the torch. But that hasn't come yet.

"I look forward to that day, too — in four years," he said.

Joe Perez

Party: Democrat

Age: 72

Location: Greeley

Occupation: Retired from the city of Greeley’s transportation department, army and air national guard